


Retribution, Penitence

by WickedMusic96



Category: Ghostbusters (Comics), Ghostbusters (Movies 1984-1989)
Genre: Finally decided to write this fic after 2 years of planning to write it, Gen, Jack Hardemeyer is interesting enough, So this fic is going to scare him and humble him, and him being played by Kurt Fuller makes him deliciously smarmy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-05-30 00:41:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15085277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedMusic96/pseuds/WickedMusic96
Summary: One cold night in October, Jack Hardemeyer has decided he's had just about enough of the Ghostbusters, and decides to enact his revenge...but he won't be going at it alone.





	1. Chapter 1

_“Mister Hardemeyer, **for the last time** , we aren’t interested in taking your case against PCOC, and Mister Peck has told every law agency in Manhattan that we aren’t to take your claims seriously because of what you did during your time at that organization! Please, leave us alone!”_

 

The grainy sound of the agent came through the phone as Jack stared at it, knuckles white as the familiar dial tone rang. He slammed the phone on the cradle, and wiped his hands over his face, muffling a groan. It had been a few months since he was fired from PCOC, and it was now a chilly night in October, and he still hadn’t found anyone who would be willing to take his case, much less hire him back for a new job.

_Three interviews in a month. And all of them saying the same damn thing. ‘Oh, we’re sorry, but you don’t meet our qualifications!’, ‘Don’t call us, we’ll call you.’, ‘Weren’t you the man who almost had the city in ruin on New Years Eve for a petty reason?’_    Jack felt his face flush as he remembered his upcoming rent, which while he had enough set aside for now, he knew his funds would run dry if he wasn’t able to find steady work fast, even if it was just a temp job. He had wanted ads strewn throughout his apartment, resumes that had been typed and retyped, numbers of agencies thrown around the floor. He figured that Walter Peck had somehow gotten the name and number from each and every law firm in the state, if not the entire country, just to spite him for the job he was trying to do for the company during his brief stint, and the memory of seeing the other man’s smug face was enough to get Jack’s blood boiling for the next week.  

 

_First the old mayor, and then the man I considered my closest friend. I wish I could wipe that smug grin off his damned face for what he did to me, for what they both did to me._

Jack looked at the clock on his wall, and decided the only way he would be able to calm down would be if he got himself a drink, so he grabbed his coat and his scarf – the air was bitterly cold this time of year – and went out into the night.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

By the time he came back into his apartment, he was more than a little tipsy, fumbling for his keys, and smelling faintly of bourbon. His anger had calmed a little since he went out, but he knew that the only way he would really calm would be if he passed out on his bed, and to then try again with the job search come morning. He opened the door to his apartment, and blindly searched for the light.

 

But something seemed to be off. Something that, even in the man’s drunken state, he could tell there was something weird in his apartment.

 

 

Namely, there was now a gorgeous brunette sitting in his living room, despite there being no obvious points of entry through either the window, or the door.

“…W-Who in the _hell_ are you?” Jack said, slurring a little as he looked over at the smiling woman. He straightened himself up a little, but it did nothing except make him look like he was trying to overcompensate his own intoxication. The woman said nothing at first, only smiling at him coyly, and it was then that Jack realized that he didn’t know who she was, as if he could excuse an old friend or classmate from high school or college breaking into his apartment over a total stranger. But given she seemed to only be clad in a shimmery cocktail dress, and nothing else to be seen, he figured she wasn’t there to try and steal from him or murder him in his own apartment.

 

“Just someone who wants to help you with your problems, Jack Hardemeyer…” she purred out, crossing her legs a little, her face framed in very short, dark brown curls, lips red as wine – _or blood,_ Jack considered – and eyes a bright blue, almost white, that seemed to glow even in the dim light. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t seeing something caused by the alcohol, and when she snickered a little, blinking back at him, he knew he wasn’t dreaming. Jack felt a slight smirk cross his face, as he stumble-walked to where she was, leaning a little against the wall.  The woman smirked back, and Jack watched as she slowly got up from the seat, taking in her form, wondering if the gods had somehow heard his lament, and decided to cut him a break for once.

 

But as she sauntered over to him, Jack felt an annoying nag at the back of his head. _Something isn’t right…who is she, and why would she want to talk to **you?**_   He attempted to stifle the nag as she walked up close to him, putting her slim hands on his arms and shoulders. She seemed to be sizing him up, but the smirk seemed to change from seduction, to one of active planning. “…You just going to ogle me, or are we going t-to…you know…”  She looked back at him, and put a finger over his lips. “Shh…I’m not here for that, Jackie…I’m here because I want to help you realize your goals against those who have done you wrong…”

 

Jack laughed, a disbelieving sort of chuckle, and rolled his eyes. “Oh, yeah? What exactly would you be able to do to help me?!” “ _Much.”_ came her reply, as she didn’t seem to care that he didn’t believe her, only still seeming to size him up, running her hands over his arms and his chest. He stared down at her, and tilted his head in curiosity. “…Alright. I’ll bite. What exactly would you do to help me.” It was then that her smirk became much more wicked, and Jack felt himself shiver involuntarily. “I want to help you get revenge on those who have wronged you…they don’t understand you, do they?” Her hand moved to his cheek, turning him to look at her, in a way that showed comfort and understanding, and Jack leaned into the touch briefly.

“They don’t understand that you had _big plans_ for them…that you were only trying, in your best interests, to do what you felt was right for them…I can help you get back at them…and make them realize you are not to be trifled with…”

 

Jack nodded, and put a hand over hers, sighing. It sounded too good to be true, but he wasn’t a man who would turn down such an offer, especially in his current state. “Alright…what do we need to do…how are you going to help me?” The woman smiled back at him, and cupped his face. “I just need a kiss…to seal our deal. And then,” she purred, letting a nail scrape over the edge of his cheek, which made him wince in pain, but thought nothing of it. “We can start by getting the man who caused this suffering for you…Won’t that be nice?” Jack nodded eagerly, eyes glimmering at the thought of seeing Walter Peck begging for forgiveness for firing Jack, seeing the former Mayor Lenny apologize and campaign for Jack to be able to work, to be able to have the Ghostbusters feel sorry for his current lot in life.

 

“…Alright…A kiss to seal the deal…” He closed his eyes and leaned down, feeling her arms snake around his neck, hand gentle on his head. In that brief moment, clarity and sobriety shone through in his mind, and he put his hands on her shoulders to still her, and he reopened his eyes. “Wait, wait…I can’t kiss you until I know exactly who you are…What’s your name?”

 

 

 Her smirk came back, but it wasn’t seductive or coy. It was cruel, her eyes glinting at him, as her lips pulled back, showing perfectly white, and very sharp teeth against the red of her lips, and panic had set in Jack, but he felt like he was stuck to the floor. “ _Why, Jack…my name is Adrestia…and I’m the goddess of **vengeance**.” _  With that, she pulled him close, and kissed him deeply, as Jack struggled to escape her grasp. He felt like he was on fire, and soon everything went black, and he crumpled to the floor, lips still burning from when she kissed him.

 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

It took him a moment, but when Jack came to, he knew that he had made a big mistake, bigger than committing the Ghostbusters that fateful day. When he stood, he found that the world around him was black and cold. “...Where am I?”  He got nothing but a cruel laugh, but it shook him where he was standing, and he stumbled over. “ _Don’t worry, Jackie…I won’t be hurting you too much…but you will be getting a front row seat to what I’m about to do for you…I’ll just be borrowing your body for a little bit to get the jobs done.”_  There was light in the area now, and he could see he was still standing in his apartment, but Jack realized that he couldn’t control his body at all as she walked to the door, a large kitchen knife clutched in his hand, ready to stroll to city hall.

 

Jack wanted to scream, but no sound would come out. He wanted to curse, to cry, to protest and take it all back, but he was frozen in place, trapped in his own mind and body, and all he could muster was a whimper as he saw her move him down the hall, and it dawned on him how absolutely screwed he was. He would be witness to the damage to people who were innocent, and he would be seen as a murderer and a psychotic, and all he would be able do is watch it unfold, with no way to let others know it wasn’t him.

 

All he could do was pray for a miracle, and hope that someone, or something, would stop him before it became too late. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now we get to see what the guys were doing while Hardemeyer completed his deal with Adrestia...

“Ray, did you figure out what was causing the meter to react badly last week? Can’t believe we had to sell ourselves short like that in front of a client.”

 

The man working on the device poked his head up from the work bench, half glancing at the random show the man was half paying attention to, and sighed. “I did, Peter. One of the wires seemed to have disconnected and hid itself inside of it, which is why I had to dismantle it in order to fix it. You made sure the others were attached, right? I don’t want to have to fix them if we suddenly get called in tonight.” Stantz could hear the other man’s eye roll, and he sighed as he shot him a look. “What? Spengs got it after that one went haywire. He took _extra precaution_ this time to make sure they were working right.”

 

Ray sighed a little, and nodded. “Thank you. That was all I needed to hear….What are you watching anyways? It’s the middle of the night; nothing should be playing.”  Peter gave an innocent smirk to the other man, and turned back to the television set. “So far, scouring the news. The redhaired weasel always seems to get the calls before we do for work, and it’s aggravating to say the least to have him relay back information. He’s too disdainful with the work we do.” Ray agreed a little at Peter’s tone, but so far it looked like there wasn’t much on the news save for random stories and some blurb about an infomercial for face cream.

 

“Well, call us if you see anything that would be specifically for us.” Ray yawned, and put the meter back into the holders, starting to head to the stairwell. Egon was in the lab, and Winston had fallen asleep after the long day.  He had almost cleared the first stair when the phone rang, and he glanced over at it.

 

“…So far for being the first to know…” Peter mumbled, and grabbed the phone. “What do you want, Pecker? Watching the sales for face cream? I hear that could really even out the stress wrinkles along your forehead.”  “ _Now is not the time for quips, Mr. Venkman. We have a serious problem. Turn to channel three.”_  Peter rolled his eyes and changed the channel, but the agitated look on his face turned into one of surprise very quickly, and he motioned for Ray to come over. “..You’re seeing this too, right, Francine?”

 

On the television, right about as Peck had said, was a video from the station. And on it, Jack Hardemeyer was strolling down the street, looking determined as he walked down the cold street. But there was something else that was wrong with that picture. Hardemeyer happened to be walking in stride, into traffic, cars swerving and braking hard to try and miss the man. Peter winced when a car sped up, trying to warn the man to get out of the way with a barrage of honking. He could see the man turn his head, and hold a hand out to the car. With a flick of his wrist, the car stopped, and then flipped a good couple of feet into the air, landing on the sidewalk with a sickening crunch. “…Oh my _god…_ ” Peter hung up the phone, and threw it onto the cradle, sounding the alarm, and quickly hurrying into his suit, as Ray threw on his clothes and grabbed his proton pack, heading to the car.

“EVERYONE UP!” Peter hollered, racing up the steps to get Winston out and to quickly try and explain the situation, and rushed to slide down the railing to find Egon already suited and grabbing his pack. “Venkman, what’s going on?”  “Hardemeyer seems to either have a Jekyll and Hyde personality, or he’s gotten himself possessed. I saw the man flip a car that was trying to hit him on the news.” Egon didn’t even flinch, instead moving to where Ecto was, and joining Ray with the equipment. After everyone got in, another call came through. “ _Venkman, I trust you saw the news, but I’m letting you know that I am driving down to the mayors office. That’s where it looks like Jack is headed.”_

 

Peter rolled his eyes and motioned to the others to start the car and head down. “And may I ask you _why_ you plan to be heading down to see the mayor when this is our job?” “ _Because in the moment of something going wrong with the mayor, I was named as being surrogate until he either recovers, or someone else can fill in. You were at that meeting. I will see you all there in 10 minutes.”_ Peck hung up after that, and the guys peeled out of the garage, speeding off past cop cars and others as they went down the busy street. From what they could see, Hardemeyer had caused more than enough damage, more than they had seen with Gozer and Stay Puft. Three other cars had been flipped, and one of them was a cop car, which had crashed into the side of a café.

 

“Ok, definitely possessed. No human can flip that many cars, no matter how much adrenaline they have in a given moment.” Winston said, looking sadly at the damage done. “…Hopefully no one is dead in those...”  “Wouldn’t worry about that now, Winston. The paramedics can deal with that. We have to get Jack out before Jock ends up turned into ground beef, or worse, we lose our permit to the city.” The guys each grimaced a little from the joke, but each knew that whatever Jack had been planning for the mayor, they could be held responsible for the damages done.

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they pulled up to the office, they saw Peck talking to an officer, demanding to be let into the building. “I assure you, sir, I have the right to be in there to help the mayor in times of need! I have the permit for it!”  “Sorry, Mr. Peck, but we can’t let anyone in until the mayor says we need to let people in for help. He hasn’t called for anyone yet, but when he does-“

 

“It’ll be too late.” Egon spoke up, drawing a PKE meter and scanning over where Jack would have walked. “…If my readings are correct, Jack isn’t possessed by just any old spirit. This seems to be a Class 7.” “…You don’t think even Jack would be stupid enough to dabble in the dark arts, do you, Spengs?” Egon looked over at Peter and shrugged. “It’s possible if he was in such dire straits to have some form of power back. You know he thinks we cost him his job; it’s likely he tapped into that sort of magic for some form of revenge. The big question-“ he murmured, passing by the cop and beckoning the others into the building. “Is why he would strike the Mayor. Lenny resigned; Jack wouldn’t have any prior problem with Jock, unless-“

 

“Unless the thing possessing him only knew that he had it out for ‘the mayor’ and is just guiding him in the direction to attack whoever is in office at the moment…” Ray finished, looking grim. The others nodded, and Peck stood to the front to lead them through. “In case any of his guards are armed and decide to shoot at you all.” he snidely commented when Peter gave him a condescending look, and they walked through the hallways to get to his office, each one worried for the worst, and what they would have to face when they entered the room.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was going through Jacks mind, right up to the point when the Ghostbusters came to stop him and Adrestia.

 

 _This can’t be happening. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening…_  

 

Jack stared out from behind his eyes as he watched Adrestia manipulate and move his body, past the hall of his apartment complex, down through the lobby, and out into the busy street. Not even giving a damn if the traffic allowed them to go through, she made Jack stroll down the intersection, and Jack could only watch in horror as the cars swerved and honked. The first intersection seemed to be done and over with, a few cars rear-ended, but it didn’t look like there was too much damage to the people.

 This relief would be quick to pass, as Adrestia seemed to prefer toying with Jack in his current panic more than she was at quickly accomplishing whatever goal she had in mind for the mayor, or anyone else that she would deem as needing to suffer at Jack’s hands for his past problems. When another car they walked in front of honked and didn’t seem to be intending to stop, possibly due to either rage or to try and set some example for Jack, Adrestia merely turned, and flicked her wrist. The car flipped backwards in the air, crashing into two other cars and a lamp post, before stopping on the sidewalk. For a brief second, Jack was able to identify limbs of the people in the other car, protruding from the broken glass in the windows, the car alarms faintly going off as she made his body move further down the street. “Stop it…Adrestia, stop it…” He whimpered, clutching his head, trying to shut his eyes, but all he could see was the hell that unfolded before him, fearing what else would be coming if he couldn’t somehow get her to back down in time.

 _“_ That could have been a family _…that car could have had children in it!”_

 

He heard his voice chuckle, in a way that wasn’t his own, and kept moving down the street. “ _I know, Jackie. But what are they to a man of your stature? Just something in the way of our plans…now…are you ready to enact your revenge on those who have wronged you?”_

Jack shook his head frantically. “No! I don’t want any part of this anymore! I want to go home! I don’t want to do this, Adrestia!”  There was a silence, and for a brief second, he wondered if she was reconsidering their bargain; that he could be freed from this hell. But all he got was a cold, hysterical laugh, and he cowered more.

 

“ _Such a pity, Jack…I’m surprised that you think you can be rid of me that easily…I guess I’ll just have to prove my powers...And maybe then you’ll stop whimpering, and just accept your fate.”_

They were nearing the mayor’s office now, and Jack didn’t have time to look away, not that it would have helped regardless, as Adrestia forced his hand to lift two of the guards up from their posts by their necks, and throw each down the hall like they weighed nothing, each one crumpling against the wall with sickening crunches, and Jack couldn’t hold back a wail as he realized that she wouldn’t make him stop until anyone he knew, or anyone who stood in her way, would be killed and maimed in terrible ways. After three more guards were dealt with, Jack felt as if he would pass out, briefly wondering if it was possible to do so within his own mind. Adrestia seemed to sense that, and smacked his hand on his forehead, causing what felt like an electrical shock going through him, enough to wake him back to consciousness, forcing him to watch as she made the doors fling open- as well as off their hinges.

 

The mayor stood up from his desk, his desk phone being set down on the cradle, and looked over at Jack. He didn’t seem to be afraid of the other man, standing his ground. Jack felt his lips curl into a smirk, and Adrestia raised his hand, making ropes that were tied around the flags in the office restrain the mayor against the wall, ropes around his ankles and his wrists, tying him in a sort of stretched way, and Adrestia made him brandish the kitchen knife from his coat. _“He’s going to suffer, Jack…the one who caused you this suffering…the one who started it all…”_

“ ** _Wait! That’s not the right guy!_** ” Jack shrieked in panicked protest as Adrestia made him hold the knife to the Mayors stomach. “… _What?”_ She stopped briefly, but kept the knife at the Mayors stomach. For the brief moment, she allowed Jack to come back into control, to explain himself as best he could, knowing he would be considered insane, should he saw the wrong things.

 

 “…That’s not the right mayor…I don’t know who this man is…I-I mean, I know, but…he didn’t hire me…This isn’t the same man! I don’t want to hurt anyone! I didn’t want to be possessed! Please _don’t do **this**!_ ” Jack pleaded, hoping that there would be some sort of way for him to not hurt an innocent man. He didn’t care if he would suffer for this, he didn’t care if he was taken to jail for what he had done. Those were small thoughts in his mind compared to being at the hand of a slow and painful murder of a man who hadn’t done anything to him. His prayers were silenced when she let out another cold laugh, and simply pressed the knife into the Mayors stomach more, slowly dragging it across in a slick line, making Jack grow pale, shrinking more into his head as he saw the Mayor bite his lip to stifle a grunt of pain, turning his head from Jack.

 

_“…Well…That will just make this more interesting for the both of us, won’t it?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...I just want to thank you all for being so patient with me on this update! The reason it took longer to get to was because I have just started a job at my school, and I work all week, and by the time I get home, I end up a little more tired than I would like to be, and my muse is more or less kaput. 
> 
> BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEARING WITH ME! MEANS SO MUCH TO ME!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The big showdown of Jack and the Ghostbusters...But will it be enough to drive the goddess out?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is gonna be a warning here for this chapter, since there is an implication of threatened sexual assault, from the goddess to Jack.

The door all but flew in when the guys came through, as both of the guards were unconscious on the ground, some blood coming from their lips and noses from where Jack had punched them. None of them knew what they were going to see, and frankly from what they had witnessed on the drive down, they were afraid of it being too late, and the possibility that Jack had already left and was on to his next victim was nigh.

 

Of course, nothing could have prepared them for seeing the Mayor, strung up by the ropes of the flag holders in a sort of mock crucifixion pose, with Jack standing off to part of the side, dragging the kitchen knife across the man’s stomach and chest, in crude cuts and slashes, while also slapping the man’s cheek to try and keep him awake. The mayor didn’t look like he had struggled too much, or even made any attempt to fight, but there wasn’t much he could do with the blood loss and shock of the situation. Jack, or whatever happened to be in his brain at the moment, didn’t seem to be happy that their victim wasn’t making this more interesting, despite continuing to cut at his abdomen.

 

“ _HEY!”_ It was Peck that broke the silence, but Jack didn’t seem to hear him. Or at least, didn’t seem to care at the minute.

 

“… _I am busy…Leave a message for Jack for the moment… and he may get back to you.”_

 

The guys all looked to each other in shock. It sounded like Jack, but there was a reverberation not usually present in his voice, coupled with the coldness of his tone, narrowing it down to possession, or at least a new form of hypnotism.  They got their proton packs to the ready, but not switching them on just yet.  
  
“Yeah, well, I don’t care. What the hell have you done with Jack?! He doesn’t deserve to be used as a puppet! Whatever you tricked him into doing, trust me, he wouldn’t have agreed if he wasn’t at least somewhat drunk!”

 

It was then that Jack released a cold chuckle, and turned from the Mayor, who had slipped into unconsciousness. His eyes were all black, and his lips twisted into a cruel smirk, stretching over his teeth. “ _Oh, don’t worry… I know he was…but I know he also agreed before we kissed…before I got into his head...He needed his revenge, and I got him the chance to do so. He needed this…and **they deserved it…**_ ” Jack twirled and tossed the knife in his hands, finally pointing it at Peck.

 

“ _But I can see into his thoughts…you turned him away too….you were the one who denied him another chance at a good life…so you must suffer as well!_ ”

 

It wasn’t long before the ropes that had been holding the mayor up had shot away from the wall, and had then wrapped around Peck’s throat, hoisting him some feet from the ground, constricting. He gasped and choked for air, legs flailing as the guys powered up their packs, taking aim.

 

“Listen…whoever you are, we need Peck alive. Jack too, but first, why not come out of his body and mind. We’d like to hear his side of the story, if you’d please.” Ray asked, steadying his ground should Jack try to charge at them. He didn’t, and in fact seemed to consider the offer, stepping closer to the others, looking over at them, smirking, and let Peck fall to the floor, gasping for air, rubbing at his neck.

 

 _“Very well…talk to your little friend…But I am going to be right beside him…”_ With that, she split from Jack, hovering near him, her arms clasped around his chest and arms, making sure he was effectively locked into place. Jack whimpered as he came back into his right mind, knowing he couldn’t even step towards the other men as a form of protection, and Adrestia’s grip meant he couldn’t run if he tried.

 

“…Okay…Jack, what the hell happened to you? Why are you doing this to the mayor?!” Ray asked, keeping his proton wand lowered a little in case the goddess doubted that they wouldn’t entirely shoot at Jack or her.  


It was this accusation that made Jack choke out a sob. “ _You guys have to help me! Please! I didn’t want to do this! I didn’t know what I was doing! I just want to **go home**!” _  His pleas fell short when Adrestia moved a hand up to his cheek, scraping her nails against his skin, and licked his cheek, smirking at the others as she cut her nails into his skin. The action only made Jack whimper and try to move away from her, his eyes filled with fear at the realization of what she had planned for him after the brutalization of the mayor.

 

“ _That’s enough Jackie…”_ she smirked and turned back to the guys. “ _Now…I want you all to leave…if you know what’s good for you, all of you will leave the area now…So that Jackie and I can be together **forever…** ” _ 

 

“Guys, you have to help me! _Please! Don’t let her do this! **I want to go home**!_ ”

 

A shot of the proton stream came through, grazing the goddess’s shoulder, enough to make her jump and hiss, culminating in her grabbing Jack by the shoulders, and lift him all the way to the ceiling. Adrestia grinned at the Ghostbusters, and poised Jack in the air, ready to drop him onto the guys, and focused on making Peck choke again by the ropes. The guys were scrambling to get something to break his fall, should she drop him to the floor, settling on grabbing the curtains and tossing them into a pile beneath them, with some of the couch cushions that were nearby.

 

 _“If you want him…try and catch him…But the only way you’ll be taking him from me is in a body bag!_ ”

 

She flung Jack from the air, and he was too stunned to scream, landing on the cushions in pain. While they managed to ensure he wouldn’t suffer death, the pained way he rubbed at his arm and shoulder showed that he gained either a broken bone, or would have some sort of sprain for a while. Winston was the first to check over the man, while the others scanned the area for Adrestia, as well as free Peck from the ropes around his neck, the bruises already forming.

 

Jack could only stare in panic at the Ghostbusters, struggling to get up, struggling to run, to speak, to do anything to prove his innocence, but he could only sob. “…I didn’t mean it…It’s not my fault…” he repeated, casting a glance to where the mayor now lay, Peck hovering over his body.  Jack’s heart pounded loudly in his ears, barely hearing Peck hoarsely call for an ambulance, that the mayor was still breathing, before the entire room went pitch black.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack wakes up in a place he'd rather not be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh, can I just say that you guys are the best audience I could ask for? Very sorry at how much later this response was, but with job hunting, interviews, and muse going this way and that, I just put this off a little!  
> But thank you all for waiting! I can pretty much promise next chapter will be a little longer.

When Jack came to, he was stunned to find that he wasn’t in the mayors office anymore. Then again, he wasn’t in his own apartment either. No, he found himself staring up at a blank white wall, with something that felt like rough fabric or leather rubbing against his arms and legs.

“..Am I...Am I on a gurney?”

“Close.” came the voice of Egon Spengler, and Jack had to try and crane his neck to see where he and the others stood, just at the back of the room. “You happen to be in the psychiactric ward at Parkview.” 

“A touch ironic, don’t you think, Mr. Hard-On?”

“Peter!” Ray slapped him lightly on the shoulder. Despite all the shit that had happened between Jack and the ghostbusters, and how deliciously ironic the scene before them was, after all that had transpired, now was not the time to make jokes at the man’s expense. After Jack had passed out in the mayors office, and Peck freed from the ropes on his neck, they had to do something with Jack to keep him from having a psychotic break, and to scan him further to make sure that Adrestia had completely gone from his body. While they didn't find any trace on him, the Ghostbusters knew that Jack couldn't just walk out of the office like nothing had happened, and no matter what they would say, even if the mayor understood that Jack hadn't been in his right mind, the general public would be calling for his blood. 

"...I want to go home." Jack yelled, starting to strain on his bindings, flexing his fingers and trying to wriggle free, to no luck.  "I didn't want to do this! I didn't know who she was! You can't do this to me! I want my lawyer! I want to go home!"

Peck had been slowly sipping on water near the back wall, trying to rest his bruised throat and not pay any mind to Jack after what happened, but the man's movement and thrashing made his blood boil, and he walked up next to him, and gave him a death glare that looked like it could pierce solid concrete. Jack immediately shut up, clenching his hands against the cloth bedding as Peck continued to stare him down. 

"...Now you listen to me, you jackass..." Peck rasped, bruises showing on his neck, causing Jack to shrink down to the bedding in a last ditch attempt to escape. "You're going to go to trial for what you did to the mayor. I know you _didn't mean to._ I know you  _weren't yourself when it happened._ I.  _Don't_.  _ **Care**_." Peck stood straight up again, and drank some of the water, wincing in pain. "This is the only place that you'll have safety, Jack. If you were in your apartment, the people would find you and string you up. If you walked down the street? They would tear you limb from limb. As far as they know, right now, you did this of your own accord. By staying in here, you have time to collect your thoughts and bearings before the trial."

"And," Peter started, giving Jack a halfhearted glare "despite the fact that you put us in here, put our workers in those awful costumes, and were generally being a bigger prick than Wally here-" 

"-We're willing to take your side in the trial." Winston finished with a sigh, rolling his eyes as Peter sulked back to the corner of the room. 

"We know what it's like to be possessed, Mr. Hardemeyer. We're willing to research the being that took control of you, and we're willing to help you in your case. But you have to at least trust us with this. We know what we're doing. You, for the lack of a better word, don't"

Jack wondered if he should be offended, but instead sighed against the bed, tears coming to his eyes as the gravity of the situation finally began to sink in. "...I didn't mean to hurt him...I didn't want to hurt him...I didn't want to  _be forced to see her do it!_ " He was sobbing now, blubbering and sputtering on the bed. One of the nurses walked by, and wiped his eyes, giving him some water to drink. 

"You'll be fine Jack," Ray reassured him, as the others started to walk out of the room to get the research started, no matter how much they would have preferred to see Jack stay in the psychiatric ward for the rest of his life. But since it was a possession case, the best they could do was keep him there out of sight until the trial date. Keeping him protected would be one thing; figuring out what Adrestia was, and why she came for Jack specifically. When they had cleared out, the doctors gave Jack a sedative, to both calm his nerves and to ensure that he wouldn't try to burst out running from the hospital. Jack knew that they all probably saw him as some sort of lunatic, but all he cared about was sleep, and the dread of what would happen to him when he would eventually have to face the prosecutors, the judge, and the mayor himself.

 _...I can only hope for either insanity, or that the mayor drops charges before the date...either that or have her appear in court to prove it wasn't me_...

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack has to try to learn to adjust to Parkview, and manages to meet someone who wants to help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I just thank you all for your patience. I know I keep mentioning that, but with my job and freelance, this is why it's been taking me this long to update the fic. THANK YOU ALL!

Getting used to life inside of Parkview wasn’t exactly as easy as Jack had expected it to be. He couldn’t talk to anyone about his problems. The doctors didn’t seem to give a damn whether he was possessed or if he just had a psychotic breakdown. The noises of the other inmates both frightened him and made him sleep with the thin pillow over his face during the night. He couldn’t tell anyone that he was innocent and that it was all just a misunderstanding, and that he would like to go home, because they would always retort the same.

“ _Sorry, Mr. Hardemeyer. We can’t we’re under orders from the Ghostbusters and Walter Peck. You’re here until your hearing, so you might as well just sit tight and not raise a fuss._ ”

It was a whole lot of bullcrap directed right at his head, and there wasn’t much he could do besides twiddle his thumbs, stare at the ceiling or the cracks in the walls, or pray that the court date could come swiftly so he could get a better change of clothes and not have people in lab coats monitor his every move. He’d even started to grow a bit of a beard since no one trusted him around a razor.

He wasn’t sure how much longer he would be able to take the stress on his mental state. No one who would be able to actually help him wanted to talk to him, and those that would try to talk to him just assumed he was as crazy as the others in Parkview, so it was like walking in circles. The nurses made sure to get him to the cafeteria for food, and one even smuggled him a book so that he wasn’t staring numbly at a wall, but otherwise, the doctors ignored him when he tried to explain that he genuinely just wanted to go home, and that he wasn’t a danger to society. Given that he hadn’t heard so much as a word from the Ghostbusters or Walter Peck to tell him what all they had found, he was beginning to worry that he was going to be stuck there for the rest of his life.

That is until, one morning at breakfast, as he was absentmindedly pushing oatmeal around the plastic tray, trying to forget that the coffee was weaker than water and tasted like they had brewed dirt, when someone had sat down next to him at his table. Jack didn’t even bother to turn his head in acknowledgement, only letting his shoulders tense should he have to move tables in order to get peace while eating. When it became obvious to him that the man wasn’t going to leave him eat in peace, Jack turned his head, cocking his eyebrow in annoyance.

Next to him sat a short man, hair a mess of brown and blond curls, with oddly bright eyes, and a styled goatee. Jack wasn’t even aware that they allowed people to style facial hair in this place, so the man must have either curried favor, or had been there long enough to not be seen as a threat. Tucked into the pocked of his coat were three paintbrushes of varying size. It was when he saw the brushes that he realized that he did, in fact, recognize the shorter man from years ago.

“…Please…Is it alright for me to be sitting here?”

Jack nodded halfheartedly, and resumed pushing around the food on his plate. “Sure. Why not. Not like my life can get any worse here.” He almost saw the other man nod in agreement, only to stop and give him a sad look, but Jack tried to pay him no mind. They sat in silence again, until Jack turned back to him, bored with the food, and figuring he could at least try to talk to someone here, even if they happened to be crazy.

“So…You’re the little guy who ran the art museum right?...Jonathan something?”

The man had started to nod, smile widening, until he got to the name. “Eh…Not Johnny…Janosz Poha…I am known as Dr. Poha, here, yes. I am not as insane as these people are thinking I am.”

“Yeah? Join the club.” Jack snarked a little, drinking some of the bland coffee, and managing to eat a few spoonfuls of the oatmeal. “Just because I happened to accidentally make a deal with something that I didn’t know wasn’t human, and just because I was possessed into doing her bidding of revenge, doesn’t mean I’m clinically insane, you know.”

“… _Yes…yes, I do know.”_

Jack turned back to see that Janosz was tearing up a little, but his tone seemed less sad and more relieved to hear what Jack had said. Jack was confused; how could anyone have understood what he was going through, especially this guy.

“…How, exactly, do you know what I’ve been through?”

Janosz turned to the man, tears starting to speckle on his cheeks. “I had been taken control of by the mad god in the painting…and the Ghostbusters defeated Prince Vigo and I was free…” he wiped his eyes slowly. “But then, I was taken control of by another mad god…I could not fight. He would have tortured my family and me…I will never be getting out of here because of him, bastard-head.”

Jack couldn’t help but smile softly. “You do know what it’s like then…I got possessed by a goddess and she made me attack the mayor and the ghostbusters. So I’m here until the court date.”

Janosz nodded at Jack, and moved up. “Perhaps later in the afternoon, when you are not stuck in your room, you may come by to the art area and see the paintings? I painted a great many of them here!”

He couldn’t help but smile a little at the smaller man’s happiness. Maybe, he thought, he could make this work, someone to help him keep his mind off of the coming courtroom date, and the fear that he would be locked up in here for the rest of his life. _Maybe he can teach me to paint things. That might show the orderlies I’m making some sort of progress here._

“…Sure, Dr. Poha…I’ll go see them.”

Janosz gave Jack a final smile, before moving to clear his tray off, and head back to his room. Jack couldn’t believe his luck.  A kindred spirit in a place full of people who wouldn’t trust him. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter and Ray discuss plans of action against Adrestia, and Peck makes arrangements.

“So that’s what she is. A goddess of painful death and revenge!”

Peter looked up from the book he was absentmindedly flipping through when he heard the chipper voice of Ray from across the room, more enveloped in a similar book and file than he was. Walking over to him, Peter peered over his shoulder. There, on the page of the book next to the describing paragraph, was a woman who looked exactly like the one they saw possess Jack.

“..How do you figure she managed to find Old Hard-On, and decide he was the one she needed to take control over? Seems pretty pointless if you ask me.”

“Well, I think it’s because she knew that he wanted revenge against a lot of people, who, in his mind, have ruined everything he’s worked for. Regardless of how much of a jackass he is, a lot of what happened to him involves us.”

Peter clicked his tongue and patted Ray on the shoulder. “Don’t feel too broken up about it Ray. He had it coming.”

Ray shrugged a little, and continued to peer in the book as Peter looked over his notes, giving them a cursory glance. “Any idea on how to stop this thing, and get rid of her?”

“That’s the thing, Peter. We can’t. Her name translates as _she whom none can escape._ And unless this book says otherwise, it seems more like Jack might be stuck with her forever.”

“…Until what, she kills him?”  
  
“Possibly. It may be until she kills him, or kills all who she feels have wronged him, by his thought process. Because she certainly won’t let him die by any other account.”

Peter rubbed his hands over his eyes. This was becoming more and more frustrating by the minute.  On the one hand, he despised Hardemeyer for what he did to them. Locking them up in Parkview on the accounts of insanity when they were trying to ensure that New York wasn’t blown to kingdom come was more than a bad move; it was extreme and petty based on personal grudge and wanting to keep himself in check with the mayor. But even this was too much for someone like Jack to suffer through, regardless of the petty nature of the man. _To be kept alive and tortured by a goddess for all eternity until no longer found useful?_

Peter cleared his throat and looked back to Ray.“We can only hope his court hearing is good. Peck called me to whisper- and I do mean _whisper,_ the ropes did a number on his neck. Apparently it’s not permanent, but he at least he can’t bitch at us anymore- that apparently the mayor’s in good condition, but he’s taking over for the time until he’s fully recuperated.”

“I know. He called me too. Spengs is in the lab trying to work out some of the energy that was left on the knife and the ropes in the mayors office. If he can get a full scan of her power, we could manage to find potential weaknesses or faults that she might have. That would come at a pretty big advantage if she decides to show again.”

Peter nodded, and looked over the pages again. “We might want to tell him to pick up the pace. Says here that she often comes at inopportune times to enact the revenge of her victim. And what better way for her to do that then to-“

“Show up at the court date?”

Peter rolled his eyes and lightly smacked the back of Rays head. “I was gonna say the hospital. Jack’s likely to be wishing to get out, and she would be able to get him out, and leave a path of destruction as she does. And from what I’ve seen of Jack, he’s probably harboring some more ill feelings towards the people in Parkview for not listening to him.” Peter let out a cynical chuckle. “Kinda funny, in a twisted way. He’s facing the same problems we did New Years Eve.”

Ray nodded, and poured over the book. “I’ll keep searching and tell Spengs about that tidbit. You should call Peck back and have him keep an eye on Parkview. Tell them to up security or something.”

“Will do.”

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The call to Peck was short lived, as the man’s voice still hadn’t recovered from the attack, but he agreed with Peter over upping security and making sure that Jack was more guarded. He even agreed to having Ray ship over some of the tools from his shop to further keep the goddess from him. Coughing roughly, he dialed Parkview’s number.

“ _…you have reached Parkview Hospital. How may I direct your call.”_

“Yes, I need to speak with Dr. Malthus, please _._ ” Peck rasped out, reaching to sip some of the honey tea that his secretary had given him to ease the pain.

 “ _Just a minute, sir._ ”

The line went silent for a moment, giving Peck time to swallow more tea and pop a cough drop. Finally, he was able to reach the doctor.

“Hello, Dr. Malthus? I need you to do something for me regarding Mr. Jack Hardemeyer.”

“ _Oh? Well, I should tell you that he’s been more or less a good patient. A little more snarky and biting than we’re used to, but that’s only when he talks to us. He’s mainly in his room, for his own protection.”_

“I’m aware. What I need you to do is to up his security.”

“ _…I don’t understand. We’ve done all we can. We’ve barred the windows, we keep the doors locked tight for him –_ “

“What he deals with will get past those things, Dr. Malthus. I’m sending over a few things for you to put around his room. What you need to do is not laugh when you get the package.” Peck muttered. “You see, what you’ll be getting is a variety of trinkets and things that look like they’d be more useful in fortune telling. But trust me when I say that the people I work with have instructed that they are the best things that Jack can have at the moment until they find what cursed him. Got it?”

“ _…I understand, Mr. Peck. I’m baffled, but I understand.”_

“Good. I’ll be sending them to you in a few days. Good day.”

With that, he hung up, and massaged his temples. _Let’s just hope those few days will be enough for him to do without._

 


End file.
